System and apparatus for telephone local toll or pay stations.



No. 886,497. PATENTED MAY 5, 1908. J. HARRISON.

SYSTEM AND APPARATUS POR TELEPHONE LOCAL TOLL OR PAY STATIONS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 1o, 1905.

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No. 886,497. PATENTEDMAY 5, 1908.

J. HARRISON. SYSTEM AND APPARATUS FOR TELEPHONE LOCAL TOLL OR PAY STATIONS.

APPLICATION PILED'MAY l0, 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2. v

UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEioE.

JAMES HARRISON, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

SYSTEM AND APPARATUS FOR TELEPHONE LOCAL TOLL OR PAY STATIONS.

Specification of Letters Patent. I

Patented May 5, 1908.

Application filed May 10, 1905. Serial No. 259,792.

To all whom it may concern: I Be it known that I, JAMES` HARRISON, a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Louis, 'State of Missouri, have invented .new and useful Im rovements in'Systems 'and Apparatus for elephone Local T oll or Pa?T Stations, of which the following is a ful clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification.

The object o the invention is to rovide a system and apparatus for local to l. or pay stations which shall consist of few, simple and inexpensive arts and` at the same time permit rapid ani efficient service.

A. In this class ofapparatus there are now in use two general t pes, to wit: those in which the coin signals the operator and'which has a refunding device, and those in which there is an audible signal but no refunding device. These are subject to certain disadvantages: In the first, a coin must be wasted by the subscriber to ascertain that the line is out of order; the apparatus at the subscribers station is complicated and ordinarily comprises a coin race, circuit contacts which affect the talking circuit, a magnet for refunding the coin, and a quick actingv relay for signaling purposes; a coin caught or stuck 11i the coin race may put the tele hone entirely' out of service, and a groun connection is ordinarily used which renders the apparatus liable to earth current troubles. In the second type the service is exceedingly slow since the calling party is ke t waiting while the coin is being inserted, an( the operator is kept waiting while the called party answers, so that tie o erator is unable to handle manr lines, t ereby requiring a greater number of o erators as well as an excess of switchboar equipment. Each of these ty .es however, hascertain advantages( In the first for instance, there isquick service for the subscriber and no waiting by the operator; Inthe second, the alpparatus at the subscribers station is simp e and does not affect the working of the telephone, so that when the line is `out of order no coin need be wasted by the subscriber. l

It is the object of the present invention to provide a system andapparatus which will embody not only the advantages of the former types of apparatus so far as sim licity and rapid service is concerned, but w ich also possesses many advantages distinctively its own.

In the preferred form of the invention an audible signal and refunding device are operatively combined whereby the operator is not kept waiting for the called party to answer, and in case of failure to answer the oplerator mayY immediately refund the coin. T e apparatus is also preferablyT arranged so that no groundv connection is needed for the magnet of the refunding a paratus, thus avoiding earth current troub es, and so that the device may be used upon single or polystation lines, thus avoiding the necessity of providing specially ,arranged lines or s ecially constructed ap aratus for the diflierent kinds of lilies. The apparatus is also preferably' so constructed as to utilize for its operating magnet, the magnet coil already used for other purposes in some types of circuits, whereby if such types of circuits are to be used in an exchange to which my improved pay stations are also to be applied,` a

,reduction of one magnet coil for each 'substation apparatus results wlierever the pay station device is used. This saving is of considerable moment particularly in large exchanges where the number of subscribers may reach twenty or thirty thousand. A suitable meter, visible or concealed, may be combined with the other apparatus, to count the coins as they pass into the till orcash box. Inasmuch as the coin is not used for signaling electrically, the coin race is free from contacts, and the stoppage thereof with forein matter or sticky coins in no way aHects t e working of the telephone for signaling, talking or recalling.

ii the usuaI device of this general character employing a refunding apparatus there is a corresponding mechanism under control of the operator for depositing the coin in the cash box or till of the device. This apparatus'may comprise an additional magnet in the pay station, or a polarized magnet in place of t e two simple magnets besides'means at the central office for impressing upon the line current over difiere nt paths to the two simple depositing and refunding magnets at the pay station or current of opposite polarity over the Sallie path to operate the polariked magnet in one direction or the other to either deposit or refund lthe coin. Moreover, such an arrangement requires the operator to throw `current upo'n the line for every call either to deposit or to retain the coin, `the former not only requirin the attention and work on the part of t e operator but -is always attended by the additional disadvantage of at least annoying the talking subscribers while sometimes the noise in the receiver caused by the high potential current is so loud and sharp as to severely pain andl shock the party or parties talking.

In the present invention, I seek to avoid the necessity of such magnetically operated depositing ap aratus and to provide an a paratus in w ich although the refunding of tliie coins is under the control of the o erator or of current sent from the central o ce, the depositing of the same is automatically accomplished independently of the operator. rIfhis apparatus therefore not only renders the pay station device simpler, cheaper and better, since no additional or polarized magnet and more or less complicated apparatus is needed, but the system as a whole is improved since the operator is not required to perform the work of depositing the coin, noV

additional generator, circuits, keys or ap /aratus need be provided for her to accomp ish such depositing, and the subscriber is not subjected to the annoyance of the interru ted conversation and the shock of the noise in the telephone. It is to be noted in passing that such interruption ordinarily occurs at the most important part of the conversation, that is, just as the parties talking are introducing themselves or the subject of the conversation, which usually requires starting the conversation over again.

In order to accomplish this result of automatically depositing and at the same time making a refund possible in case the connection for conversation fails for any reason, the apparatus in the preferred form is so arranged that the coins in their passage through the coin race naturally fall or tend to fall into the return or refund chute or in position to be delivered into the refund chute by the electromagnetically operated refunding device,

where if it is first coin, or if'the receding coin has been refunded,it is caught y the refunding apparatus and is held in suspension in position to be refunded whenever the said refunding device is operated by current sent over the line from the central oflice. If the call is not completed the coin is returned by the refundi apparatus in the usual manner, but if the cal is completed the coin remains in suspension undisturbed by the operator or by current from the central office and prevents the succeeding coins from lodging in the same lace as long as it remains unrefunded. heref ore if another coin is inserted it is prevented from being caught in the refunding position and instead of bei suspended is automatically directed into t e deositing channel and into the till or cash box. vf the connection for which the last coin Was deposited cannot be completed,"the refunding device is o erated and the coin previously suspended 1s deliveredto the calling party.

sacas? The next coin inserted is caught and held'yin .employed to accomplish these results, but

in the particular form that I prefer to employ, a stationary stop in the nature of a supporting member or deflecting plate is placed in the coin race adjacent the mouth of the return or refund chute in such position that a descending coinwill be caught thereby and would roll out the return chute except for a movable stop projecting into the latter which catches and prevents the coin from rolling out. This coin is held in suc'h position in the race that ifthe said movablestop is not withdrawn, the succeedin coins in descending the race will strike said stopped or suspended coin and be thereby directed nbeyond said stop and into the deposit chute leading to the till and are thus deposited. The said movable stop is preferably Withdrawn by a magnet energized from the central office. duced to an exceedingly simple form since no magnetically o erated depositing apparatus is required, an no movable parts and more or less` complicated mechanism are necessary to effect the depositing as distinguished from the refunding operation. It is obvious that various means may be employed to thus cause the suspended coins to effect the depositing of the succeeding ones, or to automatically deposit the coins. The said stationar sto is preferably withdrawn with the si e of the box when the latter is opened as for inspection orl repairs, so that a suspended coin cannot be abstracted but will roll down into the till, which referably is opened by a different door and llbck.

My invention further consists in the novel parts and combinations of parts hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawing,`

Figure 1, re resentsa side elevation of the pay station ox with'parts removed; Fig. 2 1s a sectional elevation view of the same taken at right angles to that shown in F igr; 1; l

Referring to Figs. 1 to 4, 2 designates thel device as a whole, the lower part 3 being the V'till or cash box into which the deposited coins are dropped and which may be provided with the usual door 4 and lock 5, and only openedv when it is desired to remove the coins. The coin race or chute-as here arranged consists of a flattened tube of the proper Widthand thickness to accommodate a This mechanism is therefore recoin of the size that isdesired to be used; The upper end 6 of the race leads to the upper end of the box to receive the coins; the part 7 of the coin race is inclined longitudinally and sidewise,as indicated in F s. I and 2 so that as the coin insertedat 6 ro ls down the saine it passes an opening 8 in the lower side wall of the tube, said opening being of such size as to permit a coin of less diameter than the standard coin intended to be used to drop out the chute and into the upper part of the box or by way of a chute 10 into the till below. The coin` race then extends by the vertical portion 11, to the offset portion 12, at the lower edge of the junction of which portions a gong or any distinctive sounder 13, audible to the operator, is located with its edge projecting into an opening in the edge of the said race and in position to be struck by the coin descending through the said race. At the lower end of ortion 1*. of the coin race, the return or re unding nates in a pin 19 extending through an aper ture in the side walls of the return chute 14,

and in suclrposition to stop and hold in sus pension any coin that may be resting upon the stop 16. Thisv magnet armature maybe provided with an adjusting screw 20 and iolding screw 21, with an operating spr' 22 to return it to normal position, provided with an adjusting screw 23 to vary the tension of the spring. .The magnet may be su ported from the side of the box by\ t ie racket 24 or in anv desired manner. The magnet 17 is suitably connected in the elec# tric eircuitso as to be operated by current from the central office.

Sufficient room at the left of the stationary stop 16 is provided for coinsvto pass into the deposit chute 15. The sto 16 is preferabl carried upon the removab e side 25 which may be hinged at its lower end and lockedat the u )per bv'lock 26, so that the said sto is with rawn from the chute whenever the. ox

pended coin bv passing a wire or other object.

up the chute iroin the outside.

A meter 2S. to re ister the number of coins as they pass into t e till, may be provided,

said meter being operated in any desired manner either mechanically or electrically by I the coins, the means shown consisting of an escapement, the lever 29 of which projects into the deposit chute 15 where it is `engaged by the coins as they pass down the chute, thus releasing the escapement wheel and permitting the sprin to rotate the meter disks. This meter may e visible through an aperture and-glass cover 30 or be concealed and only readable when the box is open. A cover is preferably also provided to revent interference with the meter by a trou le man or inspector.

When a coin of the proper size is i serted in the race, it rolls through the por ion 7, past the opening 8, and thence drops down the portion 11, striking the gong 13; it then falls throu h the portion 12 to the stop 16 Where it is eld by the stop -19 of the refunding device. The sound ofthe gong transmitted througlh the telephone, indicates to theV o erator t at the coin has been inserted. If t ecall is not completed, the refunding magnet 17 is operated and the in 19 withdrawn, permitting the coin to ro down the return chute 14, to the calling party. In case the call is completed in the usual manner, the coin remains suspended upon the stop 16 at' the upper end of the chute 14. The next coin dropped into the device will sound the gong 13 in the usual way, but after passing through the portion 12 it strikes the suspended coin and by it is directed to the left through the portion 1,5 into the till, and is thus deposited. If the connection cannot be completed, the refundin magnet 15 ispe'rl ated by the operator at t e central ofice and the suspended' coin is delivered to the party.

In Fig. 5, I have shown one well-"known type of tele hone circuit to which the invention is app ied, lsaid circuit comprising the line L extendin in two-limbs 31 and'32 from one or more su scribers stations, such as A, B, ete., tothe central-oilice C, wherevit tei'.- minates in the usual spring jacks J, J, in any desired number. Thev line isA fitted at the central ofiice with the usual line'signal S, a line relay R controlling said signal anda cuto' relay R2 having its winding lop; ed. to the ground from one side of the switc i ard section of the line. i l i 4The operators connective apparatus is of vthe usual type and includes a plurality of cord circuits each having an answering plug lays r and rz are bridged across the answering,

end ofthe cord circuit upon oppositesides of ner bridged across the calling end of the cord circuit and together control the' supervisory lamp S3. The operators head receiver 32, the secondary of her induction coil 33, and a suitable condenser c3 are adapted to be bridged across the calling end of the cord circuit by the usual listening key springs 34, 34, her transmitter and primary winding of the induction coil 33, being charged from any suitable source of current. The ordinary ringing generator is adaptedto be suitably connected with the cord circuit by the ringing key springs 36, 36, to call the wanted subscriber in the usual manner.

At the subscribers station in the particular arrangement shown in this figure, a call bell 37, land condenser c4, are normally bridged across the line, while the circuits through the receiver 38, transmitter 39 and a suitable retardation coil, which is indicated as the ma net 17 of the ay station device, are norma ly opened at t e switch hook 49. When the receiver is taken up, a path for battery current is completedl through the transmitter and retardation coil, and another path for voice currents is established through the transmitter, the receiver, and the condenser c4 between the line wires. The bell 37, may or may not ybe disconnected at 'this time. In the use of the telephone line for conversation therefore, the current to charge the transmitter 39 passes through the retardation coil 17 and is prevented from-passing through the receiver by the condenser,

- v while the voice currents are forced to pass through-the receiver on account of the retardation coil 17. l

In using my -pay station device in connection with the present circuit, I may make use pleting a path for current from battery B over the tele hone line through thesubstation devices lncluding the magnet 17, thereby'lighting the line signal S, andindicating to the operator that a connection is desired. The magnet 17 should be so adjusted in any well-known manner as by the tension of spring 22 as not to be o erated by the curi rent from battery B and ence at the present stage of the operation remains quiescent.v Upon observing the signal the operator ine refunding device.V

serts the plug P of her cord circuitinto the answering jack J, of the telephone line, thereby estabhshing a path for a current through the cut-0H relay R2, in the usual manner and operating the same to retire the line signal S. At `the same time she connects her telephone with the cord circuit and u on learnl ing the number of the lprarty wante tells the calling subscriber to op the coin into the box. The subscriber then drops the coin into chute 6, and as it passes through the same strikes the gong 13, the sound of which is transmitted to the operator and informs her that the coin has been inserted. The operator then completes the connection in the usual way. I

In case the previous coin has been refunded, the present coin is caughtupon the stationary stop 16, and is held by the pin 19 in the position indicated in Fig. 1. In' case the pr evions coin has not been refunded, the

present coin strikes the coin held in suspen` sion and then passes to the left into fthe portion of the slot 15 leading to the, till. In case the call. cannot be completed, or the called subscriber does not respond, the operator depresses a key, 41, 41, in the answering end of hercord circuit thereby connecting the high potential generator 42, with the said cord circuit this sending out astrong current over the telephone line which passes through the magnet 17, and transmitter 39, to which current -the magnet 17 is adjusted to respond, thereby operating the said refunding magnet and allowing the coin to roll down the return chute 14 to the Waiting subscriber. The next coin deposited will be caught and held in suspension as before described, while the succeeding coins pass into the till. It is thus apparent that this system and arrangement results in .quick service for the subscriber since'the taking up of the telephone is all that is required to signal the central office, and in very little waitlng by the operator since the coin is inserted while the called 4party is being obtained and she is not required to perform any act to deposit the coin. no mechanisms or contacts which can interfere in any way with the talkin circuit so that when the line is out of or er no coin need be wasted by the subscriber. The apparatus does not require a ground connection, thus not only cheapening the installation, but relieving the device from the effects of earth currents. The o erator is enabled to handle more telephone ines which results in a reduction in the'switchboard and apparatus at the central ofice, a less number of operators, anda simplification and reduction of the apparatus at the subscribers station.

In applying the invention to the particular subscribers circuit shown, the retardation coil may be utilized as a refunding mag- Moreover, there are to effect the deposit of succeeding coins into net. It is also obvious that the device may be used on either single or party lines, since the refunding ma et is operated only when the telephone is o the hook.

In Fig. 6, a method of conn'ecting the refunding magnet in any circuit is shown, that is, byconnecting it directly in the path of current in the 'telephone hne, with a condenser in parallel therewith to permit the passage of the rapidly alternation voice currents. The magnet of course, should be ad- 'illilsted not to respond to current upon the e for talking orsignahng purposes, but should be adjusted to respond to the high potential current impressed upon the line lwhen it is desired to refund the coin.

`with referenceto the details of construction -of one commercial form and the specific arrangement with one type of circuit it is obvious that various arrangements and modications may be'made therein' and that the same may be used 'in various circuits without departing from the scope-er-principles of the invention.

Having thus described my invention what I desire to claim and secure by Letters APatent is:

1. In a coin collecting or pay station for telephone-systems` the combination with a sup orting member-'in the lineof movement of-t e coins for receiving the impact of the coins and to suspend'the firstgcoin in position a suitable depository, and means associated with the supporting member for-holding the coin thereon and which when moved permits .the suspended coinv to' ass from' the supporting member-and be re nded.

2. In a coin 'collecting or pay station'for tele hone systems, the combination with a fixe sup rting member in the line of movement of t e coins for receivi the impact of thecoins and to suspend the t oo in in sition to effect the deposit of succeeding coins into a suitable depository,` a stop for holding said sus nded coin on the supportmg member, an means for moving the stop mg member and be r to permit the coin to ass from the supportded.

3. In a coin collecting or pay" station for telephone s stems, the combination with a coin chute eading, to a suitable depository and having a'lateral refunding' chute, a fixed sup rting member for receiving the impact of t e coins and adapted to support the irst While a coin is referred.

Ycoin in such-position that succeeding coins will be deliecte'd thereby into the depository, the said supporting member'being inclined so that the coin supported thereon tends to move by gravity into the refunding chute, a stop in the path of the supported coin to obstruct the assage of the same through the refunding c ute, and means for moving the stop to permit the coin to move into the refunding chute.

4. In a coin collecting or pay station for telephone systems, the combination witha main chute having a refundingchut-e, a su porting member adjacent the entrance of t e refunding chute for sus ending'a coin in position to deflect succee ing coins into a suitable depository, a stop normally in position to hold the coin on the supporting member and obstruct its passage through the refunding chute, and electromagnetic means for withdrawing the stop to permit the coin to pass into the refunding chute.

5. In a coin collecting or pay station device, Vfor telephone exchanges, the combination with a coin race for the passage of the coins through the device,said race terminating at its lower end in a refunding chute and a deposit chute, of a relatively stationary sup orting member at the mouth of the refun ing chute upon which the coins tend to' fall in passin through the coin race, a movable stop to old a coin in suspension upon said stationary sup orting member, said'suspended coin when eld insuspension being 1n such position that the succeeding coins 100 falling through the race strike the same and are thereby directed beyond the stationary supporting member and into the de ositing channel, whereby they are deposite in the till or cash box, and electromagnetic means under the control of the central office for withdrawing said movable stop to permit the suspended coin to move from the supporting member and be returned to the calling party. g

6. In a coin collecting or pay station device for telephone exchan es, the combination with a coin race for t e passa e of the coins through the device, of means or holding the coin in suspension in said device and in position to be refunded when desired, said means being so arranged that whenthe device is opened the suspended coin isautomatically released and passesinto the till ofv the device.

7. In a paystationtel hone system,`the combination with a centra station, of a telephone line extending therefrom, a 'subscribers station connected to the line, means 'for the reception of coins at the subscribers station, means controlled from the central station for governing the course of coins in said receiving means, and means whereby an audible signal may be transmitted to the central station by the assage of acoin in said receiving means be oresaid coin reaches a position where it may be affected by said governing means.

8. Ina pay station tele hone system, the combination with a oentrastation, of a telephone line extending therefrom, a subscribers station connected to the line, a coin race f or the passage of coins therethrough at the subscribers station, means controlled from the central station for governing the course of coins in said race, and an audible signalinf device associated with the coin`- race an adapted to be sounded by a coin in its kpassage lthrough the race before said coin reaches a position where it may be affected by said governing means, the audible signal nesses.l Y .n

JAMES HARRISON. -Witnesses;

H. LINEORD ROBEY, JOHN M. STUART. 

